I'm So High I Can Hear Heaven
by onlyyoujarly
Summary: After Carol's death, Daryl feels as though he no longer has a purpose...until he stumbles upon a pregnant woman in the forest. XO with One Tree Hill. Daryl/Peyton Sawyer


Ever since the passing of Carol, there has been an ache in his chest. An overwhelming one that threatens to take him over and eat him alive. He can't close his eyes without seeing her face, her short gray hair and light trusting eyes. That's why he is in the middle of the forest, hunting, or at least attempting to hunt, but all he can think about is Carol, and the painful way she must have passed.

He was supposed to have protected her. That had been his unofficial job. One he had taken on once Sophia died. But, he had failed her. Much like he had failed his mom, on the many nights when his father would beat her and he was too young and afraid to do anything about it. A walker appears out of the trees, and he feels anger surge through him. He is angry at himself for having failed Carol and Sophia.

So, instead of using his crossbow, he lunges towards the walker with his knife, and plunges the blade deep inside its head. He lets out a grunt as he pulls the blade from the fallen walker, and that's when he hears a scream. It's the sound of pure fear, and even though he is alone and has no idea what he might be dealing with, he follows the sound.

In a matter of minutes he finds a woman, a pregnant woman, surrounded by three or four walkers. He shoots one with his crossbow, before realizing that there is no time to load it three more times. So he hurries towards the walkers, knife in hand. He can hear the cracking of their skulls, as he sticks the dagger in each of their heads. After two of them are dead, more come, attracted by the woman's screams.

Daryl grabs her by the elbow and roughly pulls her behind him, urging her to run. But, she is barefoot, and the risen tree roots are cutting at her feet, so he stops only long enough to lift her into his arms. He his hands aren't free so he the option of taking any of the walkers is gone, so his only chance, their only chance, is to make it back to the prison.

A walker appears in front on them, and Daryl puts the girl down for just a second, only long enough to retrieve the gun from the bag that he keeps his arrows in. He hands it to her, before scooping her back into his arms.

She looks at him, stupefied and scared as hell. The safety is already off, incase of situations just like this. All she has to do is aim and shoot.

"Aim and pull the damn trigger, woman," he orders, his voice rough, as he veers around the walker, only to stopped by two more. She does as commanded, only to miss. He curses.

Then, out of nowhere, a gun shot is fired, taking out one of the walkers, then the other one. Daryl squints through the darkness, and sees Carl, Rick's little boy. Great, just fucking great. Another life to be responsible for until they return to the prison.

He breaks out into a run, rushing towards the young boy. Once Carl is in earshot, he begins to yell at him.

"What the hell are ya doing our here, boy?" He demands.

Carl glares up at him. "I saved you, didn't I?" He points out.

Daryl lets out a grunt, and is thankful when the prison comes into view. Only problem is the gates are already locked for the night. He looks down at Carl.

"How'd ya get out?" He asks, hoping that he knows another way.

"I have the keys," he says, proudly, jinglingly them.

"Then unlock the god damn gates," Daryl orders, looking down at the pale woman in his arms.

The woman seemed scared by his outburst. Good, she should be. He was no hero. Before Carl can even put the keys in the lock, Rick comes rushing to the gate, sweat running down his forehead.

"Carl, what the hell? Why did you leave? Where did you go?"

"There's plenty of time for questions later, let the boy unlock the gate," Daryl said.

Once they were safely inside the prison, Daryl laid the woman down on the bottom bunk of the cell he had chosen. He didn't have a roommate, but he guess he did have now. A temporary one anyway. Cus she was leaving as soon as she knew how to shoot a gun.


End file.
